


Day Six: School(work)

by firstdegreefangirl



Series: Christopher Diaz is a National Hero Week 2020 [6]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Christopher Diaz is a National Treasure, Christopher runs away instead of doing his homework, Eddie lets it happen, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Multi, Running Away, buck freaks out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:22:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23852245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firstdegreefangirl/pseuds/firstdegreefangirl
Summary: Chris runs ways instead of doing his math worksheet.
Relationships: Christopher Diaz & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan “Buck” Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: Christopher Diaz is a National Hero Week 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1712986
Comments: 23
Kudos: 298





	Day Six: School(work)

**Author's Note:**

> This was one of my favorites to write this week! I live for Chris being a drama queen.

Christopher makes a run for his bedroom as soon as he’s in the front door after school.

“Remember, homework done before dinner if you want to have time to play a game tonight!” his dad calls after him, following Buck into the kitchen to help with the food. 

He throws himself onto his bed, shaking everything out of his backpack onto the comforter. 

Really, the only homework he has to get done is math. Everything else was easy, and he finished it in class. But he has to multiply big numbers now, the kind with three digits, and that’s _hard_. He tries his best, really, but the numbers get all confused, especially when he has to move them between the different columns.

There’s no way he’ll have all 15 problems done before dinner. And then he won’t get to play Clue with Buck, and Buck will be upset that there’s no game, and it’ll all be because of his stupid math homework.

He picks up the folder and looks at the worksheet inside, starts trying to figure out the first problem. But when he takes the seven times the five, there’s a three that has to go … somewhere. And then does he add it, or multiply it? 

_He doesn’t know._

He just wants to be somewhere where no one is going to make him do math homework. But all the grownups he knows are definitely going to make him do the worksheets. So he’ll take matters into his own hands. 

He sits up, looking at his toys and his bookcase. His backpack isn’t very big, but there’s enough room for a few things. Especially if he leaves out the stupid math folder.

His favorite books. A couple of action figures. The teddy bear Abuela gave him when he was a baby. 

As an afterthought, he throws a notebook in on top, and his pencil. Maybe if he keeps a good journal of his adventures, they’ll make a movie about him someday, like _Home Alone 2: Lost in New York._

_Christopher Diaz: The Boy Who Ran Away From Math._

Yeah, he’d watch that.

With everything packed, and his backpack still zipping perfectly, he slings it back over his shoulder and heads for the front door.

“DAD! I’m running away!” he calls over his shoulder as he opens the front door.

“Be safe! Only talk to the friendly-looking drivers. Find one with a roomy van!” His dad replies, but he slams the door.

* * *

“Eddie?!” Buck stares at him incredulously. “He’s running away?!”

“Seems that way.” Eddie peers out the kitchen window, watches Christopher make his way down the driveway and past the mailbox. 

“And you told him to get in a van?”

“He doesn’t like it when I tell him to take a snack.” Eddie shrugs. “He’ll be good. Kid’s independent.”

“ _What_?” Buck is practically shouting now, staring over Eddie’s shoulder. “You’re just letting him go?”

“He just needs a minute to walk it off. My guess is he’s mad about having to do his homework. Give him some time, he knows he’s allowed to be as dramatic as he wants down to the end of the block. If he gets out of sight, we’ll go on a recovery mission.” Eddie turns back to the burner, stirring the mac and cheese Buck had started. “Seriously, he’ll be back by dinner. Now are you going to put the pork chops in the oven or let me risk all of our lives?”

Buck turns around and finishes seasoning the meal with a heavy sigh.

“He _ran away_ , Eddie. How are you just sitting there?” 

“Because he’s a 9-year-old boy who’s pissed about something, and he knows the neighborhood boundaries. See?” He points to where Christopher has just turned around at the end of the block. 

They watch him pace three laps up and down the sidewalk, stopping in front of the driveway each time to check the little sports watch Buck had bought him on their last trip to the mall. On the last round, he notices that it’s almost 6:30, and heads back up to the front door. 

Eddie’s there to open it when he gets to the porch, bottle of water in his hand. 

“Dad! Did you notice I ran away?”

“Sure did.” Eddie pushes sweaty curls back from his forehead and hands him the water. “It got quiet, so Buck and I knew something was up. Glad you’re back though; dinner’s almost ready. Go wash up, and we’ll talk about why you ran away.” 

Eddie goes back to the kitchen, mouthing told you so at Buck as he sets the table and listens for the bathroom sink to stop running. 

Once they’re all seated, and the first bites have been taken, Eddie looks at his son.

“Alright, kiddo. What happened today? Why’d you run away?”

“Math is _stupid_!” He stabs viciously at a bite of mashed potatoes.

“Yeah, it can be pretty tough sometimes. What are you learning in math?”

“Multiplying big numbers. But then you gotta move the three and I don’t know where it goes!” He grumbles and takes a drink of his milk.

Buck catches Eddie’s eye, and it’s clear that he doesn’t know where the three goes either. Eddie nudges his foot under the table and flicks his gaze to Christopher a couple of times until Buck gets the message.

“You know, math was always the hardest part of school for me too.”

“Really?” He eyes Buck dubiously, like he doesn’t believe him. “You didn’t like math too?”

“Still don’t.” Buck raises his eyebrows and continues. “But I have to use it at work almost every single day.”

“Even the big numbers?”

“Even the big numbers. There’s lots and lots of math to be a firefighter, and if I didn’t know how to do it, I wouldn’t be able to do my job. Neither would your dad.”

“But Dad’s good at math!”

“I had to study a lot to get there, buddy. Didn’t happen overnight.” Eddie cuts back in as he wipes his chin. “So how about this: we finish up eating, and take a look at that homework together?” 

“Can Bucky help too?” Christopher looks like he’s considering the idea, and Eddie steps carefully on Buck’s toes to get his attention again. “Maybe he’ll get better at math with me.”

“I think you’ll probably be able to talk him into it.” They both turn to look at Buck.

“Moral support, kiddo. Trust me, you only want me cheering you on. If I try to actually help, your dad will have to write a note apologizing for your answers.”

“But you’ll cheer for me?”

“Of course! And when you’re done, we’ll figure out something special to celebrate before bed.” 

“Ice cream?”

Buck looks at Eddie, who nods.

“Sure!”

With the deal negotiated, Christopher sets about finishing his dinner, and Buck helps Eddie clear the table while Chris gets his math folder. 

(If Eddie looks up a tutorial on triple-digit multiplication to make sure he’s teaching his son correctly, that’s nobody’s business but his.)

Together, the three of them make it through all 15 problems. Eddie isn’t sure who learned more, Buck or Chris, but they both understand carrying now, so it’s a victory across the board. 

And when they get the sundae bowls down, Christopher is able to announce off the top of his head that if three people each have three scoops of ice cream, that’s nine scoops total. And that earns him an extra cherry on top, bringing the total number of cherries to …

“All of them?”

“Good try, Buck.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Six down, one to go! See y'all tomorrow!   
> xoxo


End file.
